Orleans Central Supervisory Union

Subject: Health Notice: Confirmed Measles Case in Orleans County

Dear OCSU Families,
The Vermont Department of Health has confirmed a case of measles in Orleans County. There are currently no confirmed cases in our school district, and all schools remain open on their regular schedules. We are actively following all guidelines from the Vermont Department of Health and sharing this update out of an abundance of caution.

What We Are Doing at School

• Following State Guidance: Our Health Office team is following Vermont Department of Health protocols, including closely monitoring student health and reinforcing routine cleaning.

• Rapid Response: If a student or staff member develops symptoms at school, they will be isolated immediately and sent home.

What to Do at Home

• Watch for Symptoms: Monitor your household for a high fever, cough, runny nose, red/watery eyes, and a blotchy red rash (which usually starts on the face a few days after a fever).

• Stay Home & Call Ahead: If anyone develops symptoms, keep them home and call your doctor before visiting a clinic or emergency room so they can safely evaluate you without exposing others.
  

If You or Your Child Are Unvaccinated

• Verify Immunity: Two doses of the MMR vaccine provide strong protection against measles. If you or your child are unvaccinated or unsure of your status, contact your healthcare provider.

• Future Exposure Rules: Under Vermont Department of Health guidelines, if a case does reach our schools, unvaccinated students who are exposed must stay home for 21 days.
  

For local updates and more information, please visit the VT Dept of Health

Julie Rose, RN
OCSU District Nurse

Public Informational Meeting Tonight—October 20, 2026; 6:00 pm at Lake Region Union High School

Unified Union School District?—VOTE Nov. 3, 2026

November 3, 2026—VOTE at your local polling place

Warning: Special Meeting LRUHS and LRUEMSD
Check out the Articles of Agreement: Orleans Central Unified Union School District

A reminder that the OCSU PTCA will be hosting their annual Fall Festival on October 24th. We are still looking for individuals interested in hosting trick-or-treat tables. Please fill out this form if you’re interested, or share the form with anyone else who may be interested:
https://forms.gle/RcUjunEtKCvzMtxG8

More information is in the flyer. We hope to see everyone there!

Dear OCSU Families,
As we continue our Strong Start September, I want to share two important aspects of keeping our school communities safe: emergency preparedness and weather-related decisions. Each of our schools follows Vermont Agency of Education requirements and maintains an Emergency Operations Plan specific to its building and community. These plans address medical emergencies, severe weather, building security, evacuation, sheltering in place, and family reunification. We review our plans annually with local emergency responders and practice age-appropriate safety procedures with students and staff. Families will receive advance notification of scheduled safety drills. Our goal is to ensure that every student feels safe, supported, and ready to learn.

With the colder months approaching, I also want to share how we make decisions about school closings, delayed openings, and early dismissals. As you know, weather in the Northeast Kingdom can vary significantly from one town to another! To make weather related decisions, I typically begin at about 3:45 am to closely monitor forecasts and warnings for each one of our communities, looking at predicted conditions mile by mile and hour by hour. I also work closely with our transportation coordinator at Butler’s Bus Service, who gathers firsthand information from town road crews and bus drivers. After multiple check-ins with our transportation coordinator, conversations with neighboring superintendents, and continued monitoring of conditions, I make the final decision. While we cannot predict every change in the weather, the safety of our students, staff, and drivers is always my highest priority. Please reach out and let me know if you have any suggestions about how I might improve the process of making these decisions.

I know that changes to the school day can create challenges for families, and I sincerely apologize for that inconvenience. Whenever possible, morning decisions will be communicated by 5:45 a.m. through local news outlets, social media, and our automated notification system, which sends voice calls, text messages, and emails. Please ensure your child’s school has your current contact information and that you have a backup plan for unexpected changes. We are fortunate to have a dedicated team at Butler’s Bus Service who care deeply about safely transporting our students. Occasionally, staffing or other challenges may require routes to be combined, schedules to change, or a route to be canceled. Having a plan for alternative transportation, childcare, or early pickup will help your family navigate these situations.

Finally, I want to express my sincere gratitude to all of our OCSU families. Keeping our schools safe and our students ready to learn takes all of us working together. Whether you are updating your contact information, preparing a backup plan, reinforcing safety expectations with your child, or showing patience when plans change, your partnership matters so very much. Thank you for the trust you place in us each day and for the many ways you support our schools. We are grateful to be part of your children’s lives and look forward to a wonderful school year together!

Warmly,
Jackie Ramsay-Tolman
Your OCSU Superintendent

There are open school board seats. If you reside in Orleans or Westmore and are interested in joining the local school board, please reach out to Lisa Worden for more information.